Decorative window structure



' M y 1.970 I MQFER QN ETAL 3,51%320 DECORATIVE WINDOW STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 1, 1968 FIG.

United States Patent 3,512,320 DECORATIVE WINDOW STRUCTURE Marcelle Ferron, 369 Rue Walnut, St. Lambert, Quebec, Canada, and Roch Choquette, 545 Rue Chambly, Douville, Quebec, Canada Filed Aug. 1, 1968, Ser. No. 749,498 Int. Cl. E06b 7/12; E44c /08 US. Cl. 52-172 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to an H-shaped came formed of flexible and resilient plastic to permit edges of decorative pieces of glass to be received between the flangles with the outer surfaces of the flanges engaging the inner surfaces of a pair of spaced panes of glass.

The present invention relates to stained glass windows and to a substitute for conventional carnes used to hold adjacent stained glass pieces together.

Conventional cames are made of lead and are generally H-shaped in cross section with the stained glass pieces fitting snugly within and being secured between the flanges of the H-shape. Adhesives are used tosecure the stained glass pieces to the carnes. Conventional cames are illustrated for example in US. Pat. 3,226,903, which patent also illustrates a form of window structure similar to that of the present invention. A substitute for conventional cames is illustrated in Canadian Pat. 603,760 which shows a plastic bead formed in situ about the pieces of stained glass and adapted to function as a conventional came. These carnes are diflicult to apply, will not hold in place, and will not allow air movement, will not located glass in centre of two panes.

The present invention provides improvement over conventional cames by providing a came that is relatively inexpensive, is preformed and may be easily applied, will permit place assembly of the stained glass and will distribute the load of the stained glass.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a new came formed of resilient and flexible plastic that will accommodate variation in glass thickness and will centre the glass while permitting air movement.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new window structure.

Broadly the present invention relates to a came having a web with laterally projecting flanges to form a substantially H-shaped cross section, said came being extended from a flexible resilient plastic material. The present invention also relates to a stained glass window structure wherein the stained glass pieces are confined between a pair of panes and wherein said cames engage the inner surfaces of said panes to aid in supporting said stained glass pieces.

Further features, objects and advantages will be evident from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a partial plan view of a stained glass window constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the came of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a border came of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a section along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a section on line 55 of FIG. 4.

The window is formed with a peripheral substantially U-shaped channel frame 12 which embraces a pair of clear panes 14 and 16 and a hollow spacer 18. The

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panes 14 and 16 have a pair of opposed inner surfaces 15 and 17 respectively. The hollow spacer 18 and the panes 14 and 16 are secured together in position within the frame 12 by any suitable adhesive means. The spacer 18 is generally fitted with a suitable dehydrating substance 20 and a suitable slit or passage 22 is provided in the inner wall of the spacer 18 and this passage 22 is adapted to communicate with the inside of the window 10 between the panes 14 and 16 as will be described hereinbelow.

One of the main integers of the present invention is the came 24 illustrated in FIG. 2. This came 24 is flexible resilient plastic which permits the came to be easily bent into shape to follow the peripheral contour of the stained glass pieces but tends to return to its original shape. One suitable plastic material is vinyl and the came of the present invention is preferably formed from extruded vinyl. The came 24 has a longitudinal web 46 with laterally projecting flanges 26, 28, 30 and 32 which form a substantially H-shaped cross section. Each of the flanges 26, 28, 30 and 32 has a lateral projecting rib indicated at 34, 36, 38 and 40 respectively adjacent their free ends.

A substantially U-shaped border came 50 having a pair of flanges 52 and 54 projecting from a base 53 is illustrated in FIG. 3. A longitudinal central bead 58 is provided on the base 53 and this bead and the base 53 have holes 48 therethrough.

The window structure of the present invention as above described is formed by the peripheral frame 12 which has secured therein the pair of panes 14 and 16 with the peripheral spacer 18 therebetween. The spacer is filled with a dehydrating agent 20. Border cames 50 overlie the spacer 1-8- with the bead 58 over the slit 22 and the apertures in the came 50 communicating with the dehydrating material through the slit 22. Received between the flanges 52 and 54 are the edges of the stained glass, for example as indicated at 56, 6t) and 62 located adjacent the periphery of the window. The other edges of these and other stained glass pieces are retained between the flanges 26 and 28 or 30 and 32 of the carnes 24. Ribs 34, 36, 38 and 40 engage the surfaces 15 and 17 of the panes 14 and 16 and may be slightly compressed to urge the flanges 26 and 28 or 30 and 32 against the stained glass pieces received therebetween to aid in supporting these pieces. Similarly the flanges 52 and 54 may bear against the surfaces 15 and 17.

The dehydrating material 20 in the spacer 18 communicates with the spaces between the panes 14 and 16 and'the adjacent pieces of stained glass in the following manner. The holes 48 in the bead 58 connect the slot 22 with the space between the flanges 52 and 54 and the edges of the stained glass piece held therein and these spaces in turn are connected to the spaces between the panes due to openings found between the inner surface of the flanges of the cames and the stained glass pieces. Such openings are illustrated at in FIG. 5 and are formed due to the variations in thickness inherent in conventional stained glass pieces. Air passage across a came is also permitted due to deviation in the carnes forming openings such as those indicated at 71 in FIG. 5 between the came and the inner surfaces 15 or 17. The deviation of the cames from the surfaces 15 or 17 are also formed due to the uneven thickness of the stained glass pieces.

The applicants have disclosed one form of the present invention. Other forms will be evident to those skilled in the art.

We claim:

1. A decorative panel structure comprising a frame,

spaced panes of glass having opposed surfaces, a peripheral spacer between said panes, a plurality of pieces of stained glass arranged in a plane between said panes, cames having a web and laterally projecting flanges forming an H-shaped cross section embracing edges of said pieces of stained glass between adjacent said flanges, said cames engaging said opposed surfaces.

2. A decorative panel structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said carnes have laterally projecting ribs adjacent the free ends of said flanges and wherein said ribs engage said opposed surfaces and urge said flanges into contact with said pieces.

3. A decorative panel structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said spacer is hollow and contains a dehydrating References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1911 Kloster et a1. 52311 3/1959 Bush 52-399 7/1961 Williams 52308 X 3/1962 Bayer 52399 10/1965 Horton 52-400 X 1/1966 Lillethun 52-311 X 3/1967 Smith 52-456 ALFRED C. PERHAM, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

agent and is provided with openings between said panes. 15 52311, 399, 456; 161--45 

